Every few months I treat myself to a special fly fishing expedition. This time I am focusing on the refreshing solitude from spending time on private waters, away from the typical summer crowds of anglers on the Colorado. I am considering a trip to the Colorado River Ranch, one of the private water tour guide offerings from Minturn Anglers in Minturn. I usually book walk and wade excursions, but if my wife can get the time off work, we will book a full day float fishing. Once we decide, all I have to do is call the Minturn Anglers shop to book a time and everything is taken care of.

The Colorado River Ranch is one of a number of superb private fly fishing locations around the Denver-Vail area with whom Minturn Anglers has special arrangements and permission to bring guided fly fishing parties onto their properties. The Colorado River Ranch is located on a secluded stretch of the Colorado River, at the base of the Flattops Mountains and the White River National Forest. To get to the rolling hills of this 1,000+ acre working ranch, we will have to travel through Gore Canyon. The ranch itself is an all-natural hay production and cattle property that includes hundreds of acres of meadows, trails and ponds.

The Colorado River Ranch is one of the oldest working ranches in Eagle County, and I am looking forward to embracing the history of the region. The scenery is astounding, bounded by purple and rose hues of the sandstone mountains, pinion and juniper in the distance, and sage bush covered hills. The property offers over two miles of excellent wade and float fly fishing on a private stretch of the Colorado River.

The fishing here is world-class, and the ranch has been chosen as one of the venues for a number of fly fishing competitions, including The America Cup in 2014, Youth World Fly Fishing Championships in 2015, US Fly Fishing Nationals in 2015, as well as the 2016 World Fly Fishing Championships. I look forward to casting my line into these famed waters!